RAILWAY COAL FREIGHTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22147, 28 June 1935, Page 13

RAILWAY COAL FREIGHTS

REQUEST FOR REDUCTION DAIRY FARMERS' VIEWS [by TELEGRAPH OWN correspondent] • PALMERSTON NORTH, Thursday The railway freights oil coal were severely criticised at the annual conference of the National Dairy Association to-day. A remit- on the subject, presented by the executive, recommended that the Railway Board be asked to consider the question of substantial reductions. Mr. J. G. Brechin, who moved the remit, said that in 1914 the cost of freight to Auckland from the Waikato collieries was 6s 6d a ton, and 12s 6d to Wellington, but now the respective rates were 12s 4d and 22s 4d a ton. The following increases had been made in the rates for coal:—l9ls, 10 per cent; 1917, 10 per cent and 10 per cent; 1920, 40 per cent. In 1918 the Railway Department paid Waikato collieries 16s 6d a ton for steam coal. In 1922 2os 8d a ton was paid, but now coal was procured at 14s od a ton, an actually lower price than that paid in 191 S. Though costs in that direction had come down, there had been no reduction in freight charges on coal, despite the fact that charges on other commodities had been reduced. Mr. Sinclair lOtotiki) said that, the conference should go straight to the Government for a subsidy. All knew that the freight rate on coal was not a paying proposition, to be quite open about the subject. A straight-out request for a subsidy should be made. The remit was carried without dissent.